Akhenaten has become quite extreme in his worship of Aten and some powerful people in the court are trying to remove him, in particular Horemheb, whoAkhenaten has become quite extreme in his worship of Aten and some powerful people in the court are trying to remove him, in particular Horemheb, who used to be his friend, but who believes he is destroying Egypt. As in the previous book, the story is told by alternating narratives. In particular I liked the ones by Amonemhet, a humble villager who shows up in a few surprising places. The book has a sad, but expected, ending with the death of Tutankhamon. Altogether these two books gave me a feeling of what life might have been like back then....more

This is the first of a two-book series about the pharaoh Akhenaten, his wife Nefertiti and brother and successor Tutankhamon. Akhenaten upset the poweThis is the first of a two-book series about the pharaoh Akhenaten, his wife Nefertiti and brother and successor Tutankhamon. Akhenaten upset the powerful priests of the god Amon when he replaced all the gods of Egypt with the single god Aten, the sun. This book starts with the birth of Akhenaten and follows the palace intrigue around who really has the power in Egypt. It's told in separate narratives by different people near the royal family. I like the viewpoints of these people as they change over time....more

I just couldn't get into this book. I was looking forward to some historical fiction about Egypt, but the first several pages were mostly about the maI just couldn't get into this book. I was looking forward to some historical fiction about Egypt, but the first several pages were mostly about the main characters staring into each other eyes and realizing how in love they were, even though they'd just met. I guess I should have been warned by the title....more

This is really historical fantasy, because the heroine, Meriamon, has a sort of guardian spirit she calls her shadow which accompanies her everywhere.This is really historical fantasy, because the heroine, Meriamon, has a sort of guardian spirit she calls her shadow which accompanies her everywhere. She is the daughter of Nectanebo, the last Egyptian pharaoh, who was overthrown by the Persian empire. She travels north to join Alexander the Great's retinue to convince him to come to Egypt and free them from the Persians. Alexander is a very likeable, smart, charismatic leader. Meriamon is frustrated at his dawdling in Tyre, trying to conquer the seemingly impregnable island city (he does). Things get a bit weird when they get to Egypt. For example, they are led by a couple of giant snakes to the oasis of Siwah, where more other-worldly events take place....more

Alexias tells the story of how he met and fell in love with Lysis in Athens during the last part of the Peloponnesian War. He's just a teenager and isAlexias tells the story of how he met and fell in love with Lysis in Athens during the last part of the Peloponnesian War. He's just a teenager and is pursued romantically by a few men he's not interested in when he notices the slightly older Lysis at one of Socrates' discourses. They are drawn to each other immediately and are soon inseparable. They participate in one of the Olympiads (in different events), fight against the Spartans and endure the siege of Athens at the end of the war. There's a lot about Socrates and we even get to meet Plato as a very young man. It's really interesting to be immersed in a society where same-sex lovers are as accepted as marriage....more